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Show Bill aimed at tax delinquents A bill headed for the Utah State Legislature would make it harder lor landowners to put off paying delinquent property taxes. The measure would raise interest on the delinquent taxes by about two to three percent, according to Bill Asplund, assistant director of the state's Office of Legislature Research Re-search and General Counsel. The bill has been proposed by Rep. Ute Knowlton (R-Kaysville) and is co-sponsored by Summit County representative Glen Brown. The news comes on the heels of a Jan. 14 letter from Park City Mayor Jack Green, who asked Brown for help in collecting the delinquent taxes (see page All). Green noted that since the delinquency is allowed for five years, owners find it convenient to use the tax money for business purposes in the meantime. Asplund said the interest rates on delinquent taxes now are the most attractive in the market. They are tied to the federal discount rate. This is the lowest current rate, which the Federal Reserve Bank charges to member banks that borrow from it. The Knowlton bill would tie delinquent taxes instead to the higher prime rate that which banks charge to preferred customers. The delinquent tax problem is universal in Utah, said Asplund, but is especially critical for Park City. He said it is too early to say how much controversy the bill will arouse. "It will depend on how developers view it. It isn't necessarily necessar-ily good for them to get up and say they're delinquent. There may be a lot of private phoning." The bill will be introduced to the House this week, he said, and will be referred either to the Revenue and Tax or Governmental Affairs committee. |